Flush-toilet bowl integrated with a urinal

ABSTRACT

A bowl is provided having a back ( 3 ) presenting to the user the surface of a urinal ( 3 A) designed to convey into the bowl the urine that is projected against it. There are likewise provided: an annular seat ( 6 ); a mobile front-covering panel ( 9 ) for covering the surface ( 3 A); and a device for positioning the front-covering panel ( 9 ) and the seat ( 6 ), to enable their positioning according to a first configuration, with the panel ( 9 ) forming a backrest and covering of the surface ( 3 A) and the seat ( 6 ) resting on the base ( 1 ) of the bowl, or else in a second configuration, with the panel ( 9 ) and the seat ( 6 ) set away at the front from the bowl and from the surface.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Phase application of InternationalApplication PCT/PCT/IT02/00553 filed Aug. 28, 2002 and claims thebenefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Italian ApplicationFI2001A000165 filed Sep. 3, 2001.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a flush-toilet bowl comprising a basefor an annular seat and possibly a lid of the seat, both of which aremobile.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, at the rear part of the bowl there isprovided an approximately vertical back which develops above the planeof the seat, the back presenting to the user of the bowl a surface of aurinal designed for conveying into the bowl urine projected against it.An outflow terminal for outflow of water for washing the surface as wellas the bowl is applied in the top part of the surface. In addition,there is provided a mobile panel for covering the front of the surfacefacing the user, as well as means for positioning the mobile panel andthe seat with respect to the bowl. The means enable setting the paneland the seat either in a first configuration designed to form,respectively, a backrest and a sitting surface of the seat for use ofthe toilet bowl by the user in a sitting position. In this case thepanel covering the urinal surface at the front, or else in a secondconfiguration, with the panel and the seat at the front set away fromthe surface and from the base of the bowl, for use of the bowl with theuser standing up.

In this way, the bowl according to the invention can be used both as aurinal to be used with the user in a standing position, and as a normaltoilet bowl, without there being any risk, when it is used with the userin a seated position, of the user coming into contact with the verticalsurface of the urinal.

The back preferably comprises a side and top projecting rim, withinwhich the surface facing the user is set in, and the front-coveringpanel, in the configuration in which it forms a backrest, mates up withthe side and top rim.

Advantageously, in a position corresponding to the side and top rims,the back presents an ample side and top ribbing which surrounds therelatively thin wall facing the bowl so as to form a urinal. Theconformation facilitates construction of the back out of a single pieceof porcelain.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the means for positioning thefront-covering panel comprise a hinge for supporting the panel, thehinge being applied in the top part of the back, and a hinge forconnection of the panel to the annular seat. In this way, when thedevice is used as a urinal, the seat is raised and upturned above theback—and hence above the surface of the urinal—along with thefront-covering panel, so preventing the possibility of the seat and/orthe panel getting splashed.

In a second embodiment of the invention, the positioning means comprisea side hinge between the annular seat and the bowl and another hingebetween the rear part of the seat and the front-covering panel. In thisway the seat can be set away to one side of the bowl, and, along withit, the covering panel of the surface of the urinal.

In another embodiment of the invention, the positioning means comprise aside hinge between the front-covering panel for covering the surface ofthe urinal and the bowl, and another hinge between the rear part of theseat and the front-covering panel. In this way, the covering panel forcovering the surface of the urinal can be set away to the side of theback, and, along with it, the seat.

In all the embodiments cited, articulated to the hinge, between the seatand the front-covering panel, there an also be provided a normal lid ofthe seat.

The outflow terminal applied in the top part of the surface of theurinal is in direct communication with the discharge pipe of a flushingcistern for flushing the bowl, and has a passage of water, whichconverges in a vertical plane and diverges in a plane orthogonal to thevertical plane, with the outflow mouth facing the surface of the urinal,thus creating a blade-like jet of water, which diverges at the sides,designed to wash practically the entire surface of the urinal and theinternal surface of the bowl.

In addition, the front-covering panel, in the backrest configuration,may have, in the middle and in the proximity of the hinge with the seat,a second relatively small outflow mouth in communication with the watermains supply, designed to project, in a controlled way—by means of a tappurposely provided and set within convenient reach of the user, a jet ofwater for washing oriented in the direction of the anus of the user, whois in a sitting position. The jet is supplied through a pipe providedwith at least one flexible tubular stretch, for enabling the rotationalmovements of the front-covering panel itself.

A flushing cistern for washing the bowl may be installed above the back,or else may form an integral part of the back, in which case there isprovided a separate supply of water for washing for the outflow terminalapplied to the surface of the urinal.

The bowl may also comprise a shower-head handpiece hanging at the sideof the flushing cistern or hanging from the back, for a further washingof the bowl and/or for personal washing of the user.

The back may be integral with the base of the bowl itself, and the bowlmay be of the type resting on the ground or else be applied to the wall.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention,its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses,reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter inwhich a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a bowl according to the invention in theconfiguration where it is used as a urinal, according to a firstembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the bowl sectioned according to the line II—IIof FIG. 1, in the configuration of use by the user in the seatedposition;

FIG. 3 is a top-plan view according to the line III—III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates the detail IV of FIG. 2, enlarged;

FIG. 4 a is a cross-sectional view according to the line IVa—IVa of FIG.4;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bowl of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a front view of another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings in particular, a bowl is formed by a seat-likebase 1 (FIGS. 1 and 2) similar to a conventional flush toilet bowl, andby a vertical back 3 integral with the base 1. For example, thebase-back ensemble may be obtained out of a single porcelain casting.The back 3 comprises a wall 3D (FIG. 3) with a front surface 3A of theurinal set in within a rim 38 projecting at the front from an extensivereinforcement or ribbing 3C that surrounds it at the sides and at thetop. Applied to the top part of the surface 3A is an outflow terminal 5of a pipe for discharge of water, which has an outflow section 5Aoriented so that the water coming out will lap practically the entireunderlying surface 3A in a uniform manner, for washing of the latter.For this purpose, the terminal 5 has a curve (FIG. 4) of approximately120″ and the channel formed thereby has, in cross section (withreference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 a), a pattern converging in the plane ofthe drawing and a pattern diverging in the plane orthogonal to that ofthe drawing. At the bottom, the surface of the urinal 3A is radiused tothe internal surface of the base 1 of the bowl, so that urine andwashing water are conveyed into the base 1 and discharged normallythrough the U-bend trap 1 A.

As is customary, resting on the top rim of the base 1 is an annular seat6 (FIG. 2), which is hinged, by means of a hinge 7 with horizontal axisX—X to a front-covering panel 9 for covering the surface of the urinal3A; a block 68 withholds the seat 6 from sliding forwards. The panel 9is in turn hinged, by means of a hinge 11 with horizontal axis Y—Y, tothe top part of the back 3 and—in the configuration of FIG. 2—is restingagainst the rim 3B of the back 3, covering completely the surface of theurinal 3A and for a backrest for the seat.

A flushing cistern 13 is set on top of the back and supplies the outflowterminal 5.

In this way, the bowl may be used either by the user in a standingposition as a urinal in the configuration of FIG. 1, with the panel 9and the seat 6 both raised above the back 3, or else by the user in aseated position—in the configuration of FIG. 2 without any risk of theuser coming into contact with any surfaces that might possibly have beendirtied when the device has previously been used as a urinal. Along themedian part of the panel 9, orthogonal to the axis X—X of the hinge 7,there runs a tube 15 for carrying water for washing to an outflow jet15A, for personal washing (i.e., as a bidet). The tube 15 is connectedto the water mains supply by means of a flexible stretch 158 and ashutoff tap set within convenient reach of the user when the latter isin a sitting position (not illustrated in the drawings). The embodimentof FIG. 1 also includes a shower head handpiece 17 set hanging at theside of the flushing cistern 13 or from the back 3, for a furtherwashing of the bowl and/or for personal washing of the user.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the annular seat 6′, unlike inthe case described above, is hinged directly to the bowl 1 by means of aside hinge of axis Y1—Y1, whilst the mobile covering panel 9′ forcovering the surface of the urinal 3A is hinged to the seat 6′ accordingto an axis X—X, in the same way as for the previous case. The otherelements of the bowl with urinal are similar to the corresponding onesof the previous case and are designated by the same reference numbers.Consequently, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the seat 6′ and the panel 9′can be set away at the side, as illustrated again in FIG. 6, to enableuse of the device as a urinal by the user in a standing position. Theembodiment of FIG. 6 also includes a shower head handpiece 17 sethanging at the side of the flushing cistern 13 or from the back 3, for afurther washing of the bowl and/or for personal washing of the user.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, the covering panel 9″ forcovering the surface of the urinal, unlike in the case of FIG. 1, ishinged directly to the back 3 by means of a side hinge of axis Y2—Y2,whilst the seat 6″ is hinged to the panel 9″ according to an axis X—X,in the same way as in the cases of FIGS. 1 and 6. The other elements ofthe bowl with urinal are similar to the corresponding ones of the caseillustrated in FIG. 1 and are designated by the same reference numbers.Consequently, in the embodiment of FIG. 7 the panel 9″ and the seat 6″can be set away to one side, as illustrated once again in FIG. 7, toenable use of the device as a urinal by the user in a standing position.The embodiment of FIG. 7 also includes a shower head handpiece 17.

It is of course understood that the drawing merely provides, by way ofexample, a practical demonstration of the invention, it being possiblefor the latter to undergo variations in its embodiments andarrangements, without—thereby departing from the sphere of theunderlying idea. The possible presence of reference numbers in theannexed claims has purely the purpose of facilitating reading thereofwith reference to the description, and in no way limits the scope ofprotection represented by the claims.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

1. A flush-toilet bowl comprising: a base; a seat movable relative tosaid base; a back at a rear portion of the bowl, set approximatelyvertical and developing above the sitting surface, said back presentingto a user of the bowl a surface of a urinal designed to convey into thebowl urine projected against said back; an outflow terminal of water ata top portion of said surface, said outflow terminal for washing saidsurface as well as the bowl; a mobile front-covering panel for coveringsaid surface facing the user; and a positioning means for positioningsaid mobile panel and said seat with respect to the bowl, saidpositioning means enabling setting of said panel and said seat either ina first configuration designed to form, respectively, a backrest andsitting surface of said seat, for use of the bowl with the user in asitting position, said panel covering at the front of said surface, orelse in a second configuration with said panel and said seat at thefront set away from the surface and from the base of the bowl, for useof the bowl with the user in a standing position.
 2. The bowl accordingto claim 1, further comprising an outflow mouth, in addition to saidoutflow terminal, said outflow mouth being provided in the base of thebowl there for washing of the bowl.
 3. The bowl according to claim 1,wherein said back comprises a side and top rim projecting at the front,in which said surface is set in, said surface being the front face of awall, from which said top rim juts out, and said front-covering panel,in the configuration forming a backrest, mates up with said side andsaid top rim.
 4. The bowl according to claim 1, wherein said positioningmeans for positioning said front-covering panel comprises a hinge withaxis—for supporting the panel—applied to the top part of said back, anda hinge with axis—for connection of said panel to said seat.
 5. The bowlaccording to claim 4, wherein articulated to hinge of axis, between saidseat and said panel, there is also a normal lid of the seat.
 6. The bowlaccording to claim 1, wherein said positioning means comprise a sidehinge with axis between the seat and the bowl, and another hinge withaxis set between the rear part of the seat and said front-coveringpanel.
 7. The bowl according to claim 1, wherein said positioning meanscomprise a side hinge with axis set between the front-covering panel ofthe surface of the urinal and the back, and another hinge with axis setbetween a rear part of the seat and said panel.
 8. The bowl according toclaim 1, wherein said panel, in the configuration of backrest, has, in amiddle and in a proximity of a hinge with said seat, an outflow jetdesigned to project water for washing in the direction of an anus of theuser who is sitting on said seat, said jet being supplied by means of apipe provided with at least one flexible tubular stretch, for enablingthe rotational movements of the front-covering panel itself, and with atap set within convenient reach of the seated user.
 9. The bowlaccording to claim 1, further comprising a flushing cistern for washingthe bowl, said cistern being set on top of said back.
 10. The bowlaccording to claim 1, wherein said back is connected to a flushingcistern for cleaning the bowl, said cistern resting on the rear part ofsaid bowl, there being provided a separate supply for said outflowterminal for washing the surface of the urinal.
 11. The bowl accordingto claim 1, wherein it comprises a shower head handpiece set hanging atthe side of the flushing cistern or from the back, for a further washingof the bowl and/or for personal washing of the user.
 12. The bowlaccording to claim 1, wherein said back is integral with the base of thebowl itself.
 13. The bowl according to claim 1, wherein said back has anextensive side and top ribbing or reinforcement with a rim facingfrontwards, the ribbing thus surrounding said wall, which has arelatively small thickness.
 14. The bow according to claim 1, whereinsaid outflow terminal, which is facing the surface of the urinal, hasthe channel for passage of water according to a pattern converging inthe vertical plane orthogonal to said surface and a pattern diverging ina plane orthogonal to said vertical plane.